A man who kept a menagerie of animals in squalid conditions has been told he could be facing a jail term.

When RSPCA inspectors raided Christopher Neill's filthy semi-detached house, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, they found two border collies, two ferrets and a dead hamster - animals he kept despite a lifetime ban on him owning pets, imposed by magistrates three years ago.

The 38-year-old was originally disqualified for keeping several animals in appalling conditions, including a starving dog whose stomach was found to contain foam, rubber and cardboard.

In the latest case, Derwentside magistrates heard that the overpowering stench brought tears to the eyes of RSPCA Inspector Ian Kane when he went to Neill's house, in Callander, Ouston, last February 29 .

Despite overwhelming evidence that he was keeping animals, such as encrusted and mouldy animal waste covering much of the carpet and bags of pet food in the house, Neill maintained a man had asked him to look after the animals.

He said it was for one day only, while the man moved some furniture. He claimed the friend of a friend, whose name he could not recall, called him at 6am and arrived minutes later, laden with animals for him to look after for the day.

Insp Kane described seeing two dogs, a ferret which was kept in a tiny waste-encrusted hamster cage, another ferret kept in a cat box and a dead hamster lying in its cage.

Insp Kane said: "The conditions were deplorable and absolutely shocking."

Neill denied five charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals and four of contravening the life ban on keeping animals.

He was convicted on all counts and had earlier pleaded guilty to the possession of a third ferret.

He told the court: "I thought I was helping someone out. But it's landed me in a whole pile of trouble again."

Magistrates ordered pre-sentence reports and Neill was granted unconditional bail to appear before Chester-le-Street Magistrates' Court, on January 3, for sentencing.

l The Northern Echo started its Animal Watch campaign with backing from the RSPCA, to highlight the region's poor animal cruelty record.